The Swine Flu Dilemma

Before our recitation*, I had a general background knowledge of swine flu, epidemiology, public health concerns, and the news about the swine flu vaccines. I had also looked up a few specific facts about the swine flu. At the beginning of the discussion, I outlined my initial views on the facts. I had read in the Daily Pennsylvanian that several Penn students were already sick with symptoms of flu. Combining this with the basic knowledge that diseases can spread rapidly in a community like Penn where many people are in contact with many others, I reasoned that I was at reasonably high risk for spreading the swine flu if I contracted it. Therefore, I argued that it would wise for me to receive a swine flu vaccination.

In regards to Dr. Bogen's second question of what to do from a public health perspective with only limited stores of vaccines, I made two comments. I had read in a New York Times article that new clinical trials provided evidence that, contrary to earlier predictions, only one swine flu shot and not two were needed to vaccinate someone, thus making the problem of limited vaccines less severe than it was earlier [1]. I recounted this fact and then went on to suggest that if supplies were still limited, those at highest risk should be vaccinated first.

Once the discussion got underway, however, I was forced to at least reconsider all of my opinions in response to new data that others brought to the discussion. First, someone cited the CDC website, stating that anyone below the age of 24 would fall into one of the categories of high risk [2]. Following this argument, I am a college student at high risk and should indeed receive a vaccine.

Several others, however, were skeptical of the vaccine. One student argued that the safety of the vaccine was in doubt because it contained a mercury additive[3]. Yet another student recounted a massive 1976 flu vaccination campaign that was "blamed for causing a rare paralyzing disorder known as Guillain-Barré Syndrome" [3]. I was able to find both of these pieces of information after the discussion in a Washington Post article written in August. The original article, however, stated that versions of the vaccine without mercury were being developed for pregnant women and parents of young children, and that the CDC was closely monitoring any possible side effects for the swine flu vaccines. For these reasons, although the new data made me reconsider my decisions, I still think it would be beneficial for me to receive the vaccine.

During the recitation I contributed to the conversation, listened attentively to others, and gained experience in interpreting data. Towards the end of the recitation we began to integrate all the data into a full-scale public health analysis of the situation, and I gained on of my first experiences of thinking like an engineer, which I will outline in more detail in my next blog. Walking away from the discussion, I feel that I should indeed consider getting a swine flu vaccine. If there are limited supplies of the vaccine, I think that those at high risk and those who are likely to spread the vaccine should both get priority.

*Unfortunately, I went to the wrong recitation on Thursday (Muse 328 instead of 319 Towne), but I still gained a lot from the discussion.

Works Referenced
[1] D.G. McNeil. "One Vaccine Shot Seen as Protective for Swine Flu." New York Times. 10 September 2009. Available: http://www.nytimes.com/2009/09/11/health/11vaccine.html.
[2] United States Center for Disease Control and Prevention. 17 September 2009. Questions & Answers: 2009 H1N1 Influenza Vaccine. Available: http://www.cdc.gov/h1n1flu/vaccination/public/vaccination_qa_pub.htm.
[3] R. Stein. "Swine Flu Campaign Waits on Vaccine." Washington Post. 23 August 2009. Available: http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2009/08/22/AR2009082202337.html?hpid=topnews.